Collapsible table



Nov. 2, 1965 M. BEDOL COLLAPSIBLE TABLE Filed July 1, 1964 INVENTOR. MARSHALL BeaoL 06/ OWL/k ATTOENEY United States Patent 3,215,097 COLLAPSBLE TABLE Marshall Bedol, Shaker Heights, Ohio, asslgnor to Marshallan Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, 01110, a corporation of Ohio Filed July 1, 1964, Ser. No. 379,482 2 Claims. (Cl. 108159) This relates to tables and particularly to collapsible sheet metal tables.

The primary object of the inventioned is to provide a collapsible table having separable legs that may be securely attached to the table top through a simple pressing action, requiring no tools.

Another object of the present invention is to prov de a collapsible table having a foldable table-top supporting structure which is composed of a minimum number of parts, thereby facilitating storage of the table, when in a collapsed state.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible table which is possessed of a high degree of stability when in assembled relation.

Another object is to provide a novel and facile method of attaching a foldable frame to table top, or the like, whereby the frame and top are held against accidental detachment, thereby facilitating moving of the table when in assembled condition.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a foldable table which is simple, yet sturdy in construction, inexpensive to produce, and is pleasing in appearance.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specificationand claims, together with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the collapsible table that is the subject of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section, taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the assembled unit;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of one of the table-top engaging leg heads, in its unmounted condition;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the same;

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan View of the same; and,

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the upper half of i the leg frame in its semi-collapsed condition.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is seen in FIGURE 1 the collapsible table that is the subject of this invention, broadly indicated by reference numeral 10.

The table comprises a circular sheet material top, or tray, 11, and a foldable frame 30. The latter being adapted, when in expanded condition, to support the top 11 in a substantially horizontal plane.

The frame, or tripod, 30 in this instance is constructed, preferably, of three elongated tubular legs 16, 17 and 18 of uniform size and length, which are assembled in clustered relation and operatively connected to one another, intermediate their ends, by an encompassing collar 19, through rivets 20.

Each of the legs has afiixed to its lower end limit a tip 21 which is preferably formed of rubber, plastic, or other suitable non-slipping material.

The tripod 30 and the tray 11 may be joined to form the table 10, or separated and collapsed for compact storage, when not in use.

Furthermore, the top 11, itself, may be used as a serving tray when not combined with tripod 30.

The top 11 is circular in configuration, and is preferably stamped and formed from a blank of sheet metal,

and may have a suitable decorative design imprinted thereon.

The formed top has a plane central portion 12 bounded by a circumferential convexo-concave ridge 13 rising above the central plane 12, which is in turn bounded by a dependent peripheral rim 14, having a continuous inturned head 15 along its lower edge.

The junction between the ridge 13 and the central portion 12 defines a circular abutment 28 on the underside of the top 11, as is seen most clearly in FIGURE 2.

The rim bead 15 is spaced radially outward of the abutment 28, in a plane below the abutment.

Reference numeral 22 broadly indicates leg locking heads which are mounted on the top end of each of the legs 16, 17 and 18, as is seen most clearly in FIGURE 7.

Each head 22 is made of plastic of a type having inherent flexibility in areas of relatively thin cross-section.

Each head 22 comprises a socket portion 23 and a foot portion 24, positioned above the socket portion 23, and extending cross-wise thereof at an angular inclination.

The socket has a central blind bore 27 of a diameter to snugly fit over, and grip, the top end of each leg 16, 17 and 18.

The foot portion 24 has a heel 25 at one end and a flexible toe 26 at the other end, as is seen most clearly in FIGURES 2, 4, 5 and 6.

The over-all length of the foot is such that it will snugly fit between the abutment 28 and the rim 14, as shown in FIGURE 2.

The heel 25 is relatively thick in cross-section, and is adapted to seat firmly against the abutment 28.

The toe 26 is relatively thin in cross-section, and is adapted to flex under pressure.

The heads are mounted on the legs 16, 17 and 18 with the foot heels 25 faced inward toward the center-line of the collar 19, as shown in FIGURE 7.

To secure the legs 16, 17 and 18 to the top 11, the top is placed on a flat surface, such as the floor, with its underside up, as seen in FIGURE 3.

The tripod 30 is expanded, and the heel 25 of each head 22 is positioned against the abutment 28 with the toes 26 facing the top rim 14, resting on the bead 15.

Each head is pressed firmly downward, in turn, until its toe 26 flexes and snaps behind the bead 15 with its outer edge seated against the inner face of the rim 14.

The toes will bend as they are forced past the bead 15, and then expand to lock the head in place, as seen in FIGURE 2.

When the so-assembled table is turned upright and stood upon the legs 16, 17 and 18, the toes 26 will be above the bead 15 and the heels 25 will all seat against the abutement 28. The abutment 28 prevents lateral movement of the foot 24. Therefore, the toe 26 cannot be shifted toward the center of the top enough to clear the rim bead 15.

The toe 26, therefore, holds the head against vertical displacement. The so-interlocked legs cannot separate from the top 11, and the table may be lifted by its top 11 without danger of separation of the leg assembly 30. The angular inclination of the foot 24 matches that of the expanded legs.

The legs can be intentionally removed by exerting suflicient outward pressure to flex the toes 26 past the bead 15, but the weight, alone, of the tripod assembly 30 cannot effect this separation.

It will now be clear that there has been provided a device which accomplishes the objectives heretofore set forth.

While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form, it is to be understood that the specific embodiment thereof as described and illustrated herein is not to be considered in a limited sense, as there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which should also be construed to come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A collapsible table, comprising in combination, a circular sheet material top, having a plane central portion, bounded by a circumferential convexo-concave ridge, rising above the central plane, which, in turn, is bounded by a dependent peripheral rim having a continuous inturned bead at its'lower edge; the convexo-concave ridge defining a continuous circular abutment, at the central portion, on the underside thereof; the rim bead being in a plane below the abutment and spaced radially, outward, therefrom; a. plurality of support leg elements arranged in clustered relation within a collar positioned intermediate the ends of said legs and adapted to hold said legs in either expanded or collapsed positions; and, a head, fabricated from a plastic of a type having inherent flexibility in areas of relatively thin cross-section, mounted on the upper end of each leg, each of said heads having opposed, laterally extending, projections whose overall length is such that they can be fitted between the abutment and the rim, above the head, to lock each leg end to the table top when the legs are in their expanded position, one of said projections being of relatively thin cross-section and capable of flexion to permit its passage across the head.

2. A collapsible table, comprising in combination, a circular sheet material top, having a plane central portion, bounded by a circumferenial convexo-concave ridge, rising above the central plane, which, in turn, is bounded by a dependent peripheral rim having a continuous, inturned, head at its lower edge; the convexo concave ridge defining a continuous circular abutment, at the central portion, on the underside thereof; the rim bead being in a plane below the abutment and spaced radially, outward, therefrom; a plurality of support leg elements arranged in clustered relation within a collar positioned intermediate the ends of said legs and adapted to hold said legs in either expanded or collapsed positions; and, a head, fabricated from a plastic of a type having inherent flexibility in areas of relatively thin crosssection, mounted on each leg at the upper end thereof, each head having a socket portion adapted to frictionally receive the upper end of a leg therein, capped by a foot portion, angularly inclined cross-wise of the socket; said foot having a heel, of relatively thick cross-section, and a toe, of relatively thin cross-section, at the opposite ends thereof; the foot portion being of a length to nest between the top abutment and rim, when the legs are .in their expanded condition, in which position the heel of each foot is seated against the top abutment with the toe resting against the top rim, above the head, after being flexed past the head, to lock each leg end to the table top.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,289,247 12/ 18 Pamperin -i 248-164 1,414,575 5/22 McCart 248l X 1,940,565 12/33 Schott 108--159 2,026,427 12/35 Miller 108159 2,710,733 6/55 Phillips 248-431 2,722,973 11/55 Murcott 108l18 2,859,080 11/58 Botnick 10859 X 3,106,295 10/63 Berlin l08-1 5 9 3,160,121 12/64 Bedol 108-118 FOREIGN PATENTS 534,712 12/56 Canada. 593,520 5/59 Italy.

9,559 2/95 Switzerland.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE TABLE, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A CIRCULAR SHEET MATERIAL TOP, HAVING A PLANE CENTRAL PORTION, BOUNDED BY A CIRCUMFERENTIAL CONVEXO-CONCAVE RIDGE, RISING ABOVE THE CENTRAL PLANE, WHICH, IN TURN, IS BOUNDED BY A DEPENDENT PERIPHERAL RIM HAVING A CONTINUOUS INTURNED BEAD AT ITS LOWER EDGE; THE CONVEXO-CONCAVE RIDGE DEFINING A CONTINUOUS CIRCULAR ABUTMENT, AT THE CENTRAL PORTION, ON THE UNDERSIDE THEREOF; THE RIM BEAD BEING ION A PLANE BELOW THE ABUTMENT AND SPACED RADIALLY, OUTWARD, THEREFROM; A PLURALITY OF SUPPORT LEG ELEMENTS ARRANGED IN CLUSTERED RELATION WITHIN A COLLAR POSITIONED INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID LEGS AND ADAPTED TO HOLD SAID LEGS IN EITHER EXPANDED OR COLLAPSED POSITIONS; AND, A HEAD, FABRICATED FROM A PLASTIC OF A TYPE HAVING INHERENT FLEXIBILITY IN AREAS OF RELATIVELY THIN CROSS-SECTION, MOUNTED ON THE UPPER END OF EACH LEG, EACH OF SAID HEADS HAVING OPPOSED, LATERALLY EXTENDING, PROJECTIONS WHOSE OVERALL LENGTH IS SUCH THAT THEY CAN BE FITTED BETWEEN THE ABUTMENT AND THE RIM, ABOVE THE BEAD, TO LOCK EACH LEG END TO THE TABLE TOP WHEN THE LEGS ARE IN THEIR EXPANDED POSITION, ONE OF SAID PROJECTIONS BEING OF RELATIVELY THIN CROSS-SECTION AND CAPABLE OF FLEXION TO PERMIT ITS PASSAGE ACROSS THE BEAD. 